First Drive: 2014 Toyota 4Runner

Compromise defined.

It's hard to square the 2014 Toyota 4Runner with the fresh-faced crossovers clamoring for buyers' attention. Even with a refresh that's hot off the griddle, the 4Runner offers little in the way of on-road refinement. An archaic driveline, iffy fuel economy, and woeful dynamics are stark reminders that body-on-frame SUVs lost their luster for a reason.

Like the similarly afflicted Jeep Wrangler, however, the Toyota 4Runner comes into its own once the trail turns muddy. The difference is that while the Wrangler makes no apologies for its straight-axle self, the 4Runner seems torn between its roots as an off-road heathen and a desire to court lifestyle drivers more interested in space and comfort. The result is a conflicted SUV.

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Toyota gives the 4Runner a mild makeover for 2014, throwing a revised front fascia and smoked headlamps at the truck. The changes haven't sweetened the bruiser's face, especially in Limited trim. Wide swaths of chrome add noise to an already busy nose, and the bulging headlights give the Yota a startled look, as if it just got a surprise colon cancer screening. At least the new 17-inch wheels on the SR5 and Trail models look sharp. Toyota also offers 20-inch rollers, likely to the chagrin of purists.

Inside, the dated cabin is awash in hard plastics and features an infotainment system that's about as spritely as a tranquilized bloodhound. The second row offers reclining seats, but the third row is problematic for anyone with shins. The driver gets the best seat in the house. The commanding view of the 4Runner's squared-off nose gives the impression that you're piloting something with serious brawn. If only it had the muscle to back it up.

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For 2014, the 4Runner soldiers on with the same old 4.0-liter V6 engine. The lump makes 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque, and the numbers fall within spitting distance of those conjured by the 3.6-liter V6 in the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler. The difference lies in the gearbox. While the Toyota trundles along with a five-speed automatic, the Grand Cherokee gets eight gears to play with, giving both Jeeps the sensation of more power. The 4Runner is left stuck in each gear longer, and the engine feels like it needs to hustle to move the 4525-pound SUV.

The EPA estimates the 4Runner to be good for 17 mpg city and 22 mpg highway in four-wheel drive guise.

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On the road, it's clear that Toyota worked hard to take some harshness out of the 4Runner. In a straight line, it's comfortable, soaking up imperfections without any of the chassis chatter you'd expect from a body-on-frame rig. But that ride compliance means there's plenty of nose dive any time you get frisky with the brakes, and left-right maneuvers introduce abundant body roll. Throw in an intrusively loud cabin at highway speeds and the 4Runner hardly feels worthy of its MSRP. Toyota hasn't released 2014 pricing yet, but expect to see the 2014 model stick close to the 2013 edition's $31,590 base price. Throw in four-wheel drive and Limited trim, and you're looking at a sticker that should sail past the $42,000 mark.

That's considerably more than you'd pay for a much nicer, equivalently equipped Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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Step off the tarmac, and the 4Runner makes a case for itself. Buyers can pick between three trims: the budget SR5, the more capable Trail, and the quasi-luxury Limited. Trail comes with a selectable, legitimate mechanical locking rear differential, a bevy of terrain modes, and two systems designed to improve traction: A-TRAC and CRAWL. The former shuttles power to the wheels with the most grip while the latter is a sort of off-road cruise control.

Even when cursed with street tires, the onboard wizardry can shimmy the 4Runner up slick inclines, through deep water, or across rutted terrain without any drama.

But the truck can't help but feel huge on the trail. That massive curb weight means it takes more power to shove the 4Runner out of deep mud, and gravity loves to grab hold and pull the machine toward off-camber obstacles. Nothing kicks the pucker factor into high gear like a slow slide toward a big, can-opener rock with someone else's $40,000 SUV. Throw in poor visibility that's abetted by thick B- and C-pillars, and the 4Runner isn't my first choice among off-roaders.

Toyota is trying hard to please two masters with the 2014 4Runner, but its split personality works against it. Buyers needn't look far to find more comfortable soft roaders or capable off-road machines.

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